{the lowdown on} How To Put Together A Fantastic, Affordable Gift Basket

It’s end of the school year time around here, and if you are like me, you find yourself trying to stretch a dollar to give a token of how deeply you appreciate how AMAZING your kids’ teachers are!

I am a big fan of gift baskets. I feel like they look cute & are simple to assemble. There are two decisions to make when you are making a gift basket…

1.) THEME

Now you KNOW I love a theme, and my favorite go-to themes are spa, beach/summer, culinary, and gardening. [I’ll talk more about those later in the post.]

Today, we delivered some “refreshing” gifts. And let me tell you, THESE ladies deserve a little refreshment after a school year of wide open four-year-olds!

2.) COLOR

My default color choice is pink and green. Just such a happy combo, don’t you think?? It’s great to have a color palette to help guide your selections for the gift basket.

Gather your supplies. I chose candies in pink or green boxes, green hand soaps, pink lemonade packets, peppermint tea (which was in pink boxes for some reason), notepads, and some pink & green tissue paper. I hit the dollar store for some cute pink & green shopping/beach baskets (these came from Dollar Tree, but I’ve seen the same and similar baskets at other dollar stores, too). And I grabbed some bottled water.

I also grabbed a couple of these cello gift basket bags. They are great to make your gift look finished and fancy… and to keep me from eating everything in them before delivery…

First, line your basket with a couple of sheets of tissue paper.

Tear off the label from the water and tie a ribbon around its neck. I added a little printed tag with a verse to one of the two water bottles in each basket (I changed the he to she).

She who refreshes others will herself be refreshed (Proverbs 11:25).

Next fill the basket. Pretty simple, right? Make sure to try to balance the weight as you fill (so one heavy water on each end; add tea bags, soap, and pink lemonade mix wedged in the middle; then boxes of candy & notepad along either side).

Finally, “wrap” the basket in a cello bag. [I actually decided to do this only with the gift for the teacher who was absent today, leaving everyone else’s open so they could dig right in.] Tie it closed with a thick ribbon, and don’t forget the tag (write or print on colored cardstock)!

Yay! A happy row of gift basketey joy ready to deliver! [These ended up at about $10 each.]

I love to lay out all the “fillings” in my workroom on the dining room table, and go to work!

AND… if the budget allows, ADD GIFT CARDS! A $5 giftcard from Starbucks or Sonic can be tucked into a [ask for a free] tall or small Starbucks or Sonic cup. Target, Walmart, and teacher supply store giftcards are also always appreciated. If it’s a group gift and the budget is bigger, a giftcard to a spa or restaurant is awesome, too!

So, what did I forget? Do you ever make gift baskets? How to you love on those spectacular teachers of yours?

Don’t forget to include a card written by the student. As a teacher notes from my students are the most precious gifts. Of course gift cards are nice as well. Thanks for the tips, Gina. I love your blog.

Hi Erin,
Great question! I got these at a local dollar store (Dollar General, I think?). I’ve seen them at a few different “brands” of dollar stores. They are fantastic! There are also cute buckets at Michael’s for $1 each if you’re doing a beachy theme… 😉

I’ve done nursing station baskets before – a basket to put next to the chair where mom ends up nursing or bottle feeding the baby most often. Find a basket that can be carried over one arm, ideally, and fill with things like a reusable water bottle, nuts and protein bars for mom, baby q-tips, nail clippers, small notepad & pen for recording changes/feedings, baby teether, burp cloths, a bib, etc. Some larger things you could add are a nursing cover, an Itzbeen timer, or a gift card.

I’ve also received bath theme items packaged in an infant tub and diaper changing theme baskets.

Jessica,
That is a great question! I love emily’s ideas on what to put in a nursing station gift basket–great thoughts! But I wonder if you are asking about hostess gifts, a little something to give the ladies who are hosting your baby shower? I’m a big fan of personalized stationery… perhaps some scrap pennant stationery from this post (http://wp.me/p29yYX-uI)? Other thoughts might be to get them a couple of Bath & Body soaps or a Yankee candle… each tied with a ribbon and including a handwritten note expressing how much you appreciate these ladies helping you set up your nest. 🙂 Hope that helps! {And congratulations on your precious one!}

Great ideas! I am also a lover of the gift basket! Another idea (which I found on pinterest and LOVE!) for the other people I like to recognize but aren’t the teacher, is to get an insulated tumbler cup and fill it with packets of drink mixes (like Crystal Light). Then attached a note to the straw that says “Thanks for helping to quench my thirst for knowledge!”

I love that idea! And adding the name to the tumbler in adhesive vinyl if you have a cutting machine (to cut out the letters) is fun, too. Or on a REALLY tight budget, or if you just have 10, 20, or more teachers you’re buying for, you could use water bottles, like in my post here: http://wp.me/p29yYX-EE. Thanks for your comment!

These are great ideas, but I would be so afraid of allergies if giving a spa basket. Some people have allergies to certain fragrances or dyes. And some people have aversions to certain scents. I’d have the same reservations about giving anything with foods or drinks in them. These are super cute nevertheless
and I know I’d love to receive one!!! 🙂

Thanks for bringing up the allergies, as one who suffers them, I was wondering about that as well! I try to get people to just get me unscented things, rather than try to list all the fragrances that do or don’t bother me. Frangrance-free is always safer!

I just did some gift baskets for weddings (I had four weddings/showers to attend in three weeks)! I got every single item at the dollar tree (which surprisingly has lots of name brand products!). I started with a laundry basket and filled it with cleaning products like lysol spray, toilet bowl cleaner, dish soap, windex, furniture polish, cleaning rags, scrubbing pads, paper towels, Oxyclean, etc. Each basket was overflowing with stuff! I purchased cellophane basket bags also (which the laundry basket wouldn’t fit in, but I put the bags IN the laundry baskets and filled it with the products), and some ribbon to curl at the top. To finish the baskets off, I made a tag with a love quote on each one, and on the back I personalized them to say “This gift is specifically designed for _____ (groom’s name). ____ (Bride’s name) – make sure he uses it!”

I have also done baby gift baskets, but used a diaper bag as the “basket” (most recently I had a bag made in John Deere fabric for my sister in law’s baby shower), and fill with a few small baby toys/teethers, teething tablets, fingernail clippers, a bottle, pacies, travel sized baby shampoo and lotion, diaper rash cream, infant tylenol and gas relief medicine, a travel pack of wipes, and an outfit. These are my absolute FAVORITE “baskets” to pack, they’re so much fun to pack for! I’ve done a slightly cheaper version with using a cool re-usable shopping bag from Toys R Us or even from Dollar General (they have neat character ones, like Toy Story and Cars)!

Another idea I’ve used is baskets for college students. I’ve used backpacks, crates (the kind that stack or become bookshelves), and storage ottomans. Fill them with school supplies, snacks, dishes and silverware, cleaning products, bedding, board games and card games, etc. Pick a theme and run with it!

Love love love giving gift baskets! It’s so much more fun to buy and more fun for the gift receiver to open!

Gina, I just found your blog and, when I read your ‘About You’ description, I could have been reading about myself! I especially love gift baskets and themes. My heart is happy right now! Going to go click on the ‘follow blog’ button now. Grins ))

How about a BBQ basket? Add BBQ tools, spices and sauces, a favorite drink, an apron (or nail apron) a cookbook or grilling magazine, and a gift certificate/card to a local meat market or grocery store. We have done this for a men’s gift exchange at Christmas several times.

if the man was a gamer you could do a retro one . You can normally find the games for like 10 bucks that plug directly into the tv and have pac man and tetris and ect. and then plug it in with his fav snacks and popcorn. .. or what about getting him a giftcard to x-box live or even an itunes giftcard and then put some pj pants with a fav band or fav tv show … normally those run cheep at target and they alwyas have something on sale.

I recommend adding a new theme: Movie theme! You can include theater candy, popcorn, a DVD (WalMart always has DVD sales for $5 a pop), a movie theater gift card, and a small stuffed teddy bear to watch the movie with you!

Went through a phase when lots of friends & relatives were graduating from school and setting up their first homes. My standard gift was all kinds of little things that you find in a junk drawer – paper clips, rubber bands, erasers, post-it notes, pens, pencils, highlighters, kitchen sponges, small trash bags, nail files, fingernail clippers, aspirin, measuring tape, a mini level, a basic picture hanging kit (nails, hangers, wire), some basic tools (hammer, phillips & flat head screwdriver, pliers). I’d throw in some personalized items like candy or recipes for easy one-pot meals, and pack it all into a tool box or tackle box with wrap a big bow around it. It’s always a big hit!

Love the ideas…homemade gift baskets are my fave gifts to give! At a bridal shower, we gave the couple a “Chinese food” gift basket; we used a wok as the basket and filled it with rice, chow main noodles, teriyaki sauce, soy sauce, chop sticks, and fortune cookies.

I have to say … as a teacher … your baskets are lovely! However… do you know how much cheap candy, lotion, etc. a teacher gets from the dollar store each school year? If you spent $10 on the basket, your best bet is to buy that teacher a $10 gift card to Target, starbucks, anywhere! It will actually get used and not thrown away/regifted and it’s easier on you!

Yes, I have to agree that teachers do tend to get inundated with plastic cups, mugs, and candy… So my favorite thing for the gift basket is to do a collection for the whole class, spend a few dollars on the basket & fillers, then have a couple of fat gift cards for the teachers. This end-of-year gift from our grade-schooler, many families in the class joined in, and our teachers’ gift baskets had $50 spa gift cards (at a spa where you can stay all day, sauna, swim in saline pool, etc.), $40 Target gift card… AND a Starbucks giftcard. I joked with the teachers that I hoped these gift baskets were better than a whole slew of “Teachers Have Class” mugs. 🙂

Instead of cellophane bags I use net (comes in many colors) from the fabric store. Use about 1 1/2 yards, cut in a giant circle and pull up and around gift and tie. This is especially good for Easter baskets for your own children. You can keep from year to year, it never rips.

Our school has the teachers fill out a little questionaire at the beginning of the year, with likes and dislikes, food issues (allergies, intolerances, diabetes etc), favorite color, etc. We even asked for the favorite Starbucks drink! I do tend to agree with “K” though that the teachers do get a lot of “stuff”, so our school asks the teachers in November for what they want and we make up little ‘ornaments’ with their wishes on them and families can buy what the teachers need. Some want a specific book for the class, or need supplies, even the secretary does one!

Amanda
The store name is Dollar Tree. It has the green sign. If you don’t have one in your area they are online also. It can get confusing with Dollar Tree(Green) Dollar General(Yellow) and Family Dollar. Too funny.

Since out-of-town guests might not be familiar with the area, it is nice to include a local map, perhaps with highlighted areas for events related to the wedding/rehearsal (one color), local areas of interest (another color), necessities like a grocery store, gas station, etc. (a third color)… Also bottled waters are a nice filler… The gift baskets done in the wedding colors are a hit… Gum or mints… If there is a favorite candy or snack of the bride & groom, that can be cute to include (you can print large avery labels with whose favorite it is to save having to write it umpteen times)… Ring pops… Make black “I’m with the groom” or white “I’m with the bride” t-shirts (or wedding colors)… flip flops, towel, sunblock for a beach wedding… Also, if guests are flying rather than driving, some nice sample size shampoos, conditioners, toiletries are nice… Hmm… off the top of my head… 🙂 Hope that gets you started!

When i got married (at the beach) we cleaned out all the purple sand buckets from 2 dollar stores and filled them with candy, water, crackers, some small toiletries and an itinerary for the weekend. It was so much fun to put them together and everyone loved them. To make it easy we just had the front desk at the hotel hand them out as the guests checked in 🙂

Melissa, I have 2 adopted children myself & belonged to an adopted family group. We had a “shower” for a family that adopted 5! If this is the family’s first children, laundry items would be a hit (thy were for the family we did), so your basket could be a laundry basket. I would also think entertainment items (movie tickets, water parks, etc) would be fun, since those things will now be expensive for 3 more! Good for you supporting this new family!

I praise God that these children are being adopted into a forever family! HAPPY GOTCHA DAY TO THEM!!!! Have you ever read the children’s book “I Love You Like Crazy Cakes”? I saw it years ago in an airport terminal, but somehow it’s stuck in my head–it’s about adoption. Clothes, clothes, and more clothes. Gift cards for grocery stores. Personalized bible for each child (something with his/her name on it). A giftcard for a family photo shoot… ANYTHING that affirms these precious ones’ worth and their parents’ decision!! 🙂

Other gift book suggestions:
* I Wished for You: an Adoption Story (Mom’s Choice Award Recipient, Book of the Year Award, Creative Child Magazine) (Marianne Richmond)
* God Found Us You (Lisa Tawn Bergren)

I LOVE gift bags and such – I like the way you think!
I love to do swag bags for special occassions for my friends. 3 of us ran a half marathon and I made a swag bag of lip balm, mini anti chaf cream, hair clips (they have tons of curly hair) Advil for afterwards, and energy gels. For another girlfriends birthday we spent the day at a local resort by the pool. I put together acrylic tumblers with sun block, lotion, lilp balm, and hair conditioner. They were such a hit especially since we had cocktails by the pool in our acrylic tumblers. Another girlfriend is celebrating her birthday at a vinyard. I am a little lost for suggestions. Any imput?

Personalized painted wine glasses for each person, plain crackers and a bottle of water to cleanse the palate between wine tastings… Note pad and pen to make notes about which wines you liked… That’s all I’ve got! 🙂

think what she might want while she’s in town for the wedding: map/local attractions, water/fave soda, gum/mints, a great sweat-proof deodorant (to wear with her bridesmaid’s dress?)… use ribbons/basket in the wedding colors…straws (so she doesn’t mess up her lipstick on the big day!), shoe inserts (if they can be worn without showing in her wedding shoes), bubble bath (to relax before and after her duties!), a phone list (with other bridesmaids so she can 911 them, not you if something comes up!)…

I love the out of town basket!! What would you suggest for a Fall rustic basket? I’ve been reading all you suggestions and I just need one special ingredient that I can’t seem to think of!! Any clever ideas?

if there is a place near you that homemakes apple butter or pumpkin butter, a mason jar of that would be fantastic! sunflowers, pumpkin spice candle, lipgloss/chapstick (for those cool fall nights!), bundle of twigs for “campfire starter,” instant hot chocolate/cider packets… hope this helps!!

any ideas for a cute idea for a welcome gift? I am working as a dean at a Bible college and we have RA training coming up. Looking for cute ideas to welcome the girls to training. (Ex. Can of soda with : “Soda-lighted to have you here!)

Seriously!! Some great ideas Gina! 🙂 I just found your blog (via a pinterest pin) and I’m loving it! Keep up the great work! I always find that my gift baskets end up becoming way more expensive than just buying a simple bigger gift to begin with. Thanks for the good ideas. I’m excited to peak at the rest of your blog! God bless you and your work!! – Marcella (All Natural Makeup Artist & Beauty Blogger bbinsideout.com)

I love your ideas. As a classroom teacher myself, I would have loved any of these gifts. The extra touches mean so much. I just saw the name on the gift basket. My maiden name is Turlington. There aren’t many of us around, so it peeked my interest.

SusanMcInnis Your blog is such fun! Really wonderful ideas! I find that I do well to pick up items on sale and with coupons. I am an aunt to some really wonderful kids and I know that they love crafts supplies for birthdays, Christmas, and special celebrations. Blessings to you and your family!

love this idea! you could use a school-colored small/ice bucket from the dollar store and put her name on it (vinyl letters in the other school color). Fill with gatorade (clear or–even better–school colored if possible!) for when she needs to refuel, maybe a school t-shirt/spirit wear or a personalized “cheer li’l sis” tee (use my fabric shabby applique tutorial to add fabric letters to a plain inexpensive t-shirt from craft store), candy (school colors again), any other school-related swag (mug/cooler cup, key chain, etc… I would love to make a gift basket for this theme!! So fun!! Good luck to you & your cheer li’l sis!

I did this for a friend who likes scrapbooking, just went to target and bought TONS of scrapbooking things (stickers, designed paper, colored pens…) all from the dollar section, and put the supplies in the shopping/beach bag thingy. the total cost was around $14 and it was so easy!!!:)

I made a really nice & substantial housewarming gift basket. i bought a nice sized bright green bucket & filled it with various cleaning supplies & tools. i bought most of the supplies at the Dollar Store & Lowes. I used coupons which saved me quite a bit i also bought double packs & multi pack items & split it up….

This idea is awesome. My daughter is turning 1 in november, and i would love to use this idea. I want to thank everyone who is coming, especially the ones that are coming out of state. what are your ideas to put the baskets. (her party is the saturday before thanksgiving)

My daughter’s wedding in April, 2014 – about 150 guests (90% will be local) – any ideas for favor baskets?? I’m willing to make items if necessary. – could we do “family” favor baskets? (one basket per family?) Any ideas would be appreciated – also this will be an outdoor wedding (if that matters) Thanks,

I love it! Okay, I would include things like white mints (or find in wedding colors),.. a mini kleenex pack, and print out a sticker (avery label) or on wedding color cardstock to wrap & secure around: “for your tears of joy”… a favorite verse or quote of the bride & groom printed on pretty wedding colored cardstock… a pair of sunglasses… a mini sunblock… a mini hand lotion…

It would be helpful to know wedding colors, formal/informal, bride/groom personality (fun & silly or more reserved), etc…

Love that! A great container for that gift basket could be a sectioned carrying caddy (I’ve seen them in the housewares/storage and bath sections before)–that way the “basket” serves as an organizer for all the craftiness too!

For my daughter’s friends going to college we found oversized laundry bags at TJMaxx ($8) and filled them up with little bottles of stain removers and laminated instructions on how to do laundry. If budget allows can add a roll of quarters, laundry detergent, etc. The girls (& their moms) loved them.

Brilliant idea! I love! As a former college R.A., I especially appreciate the laminated instructions–brilliant! We used to put on a program every semester on how to do laundry for the poor souls who’d never done their own before. 🙂

I have been a mute visitor of your site for quite sometime now.. Must say you are crafty to the core.. I am making these cute gift basket for my 3 yr son’s teacher.. Thanks lot for sharing such a wonderful and thrifty ideas..

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My in laws bought a new house *read got everything they wanted/needed for it* leaving us with little ideas for Christmas. My MIL was super excited that she for the first time ever has a completely remodel bathroom…….so she is getting a basket full of goodies for it. Soaps, shampoo stuff like that 🙂

SIL went from a more teeny bopper room to a grown up room (i have no idea how else to word that lol!!) and we got her some stuff for that 🙂

I love the idea of the little handled baskets!! They are officially on my list to get for them!!

You could do a spa themed basket. Lotion, shower gel, bubble bath, candles and add a book by a favorite author and a favorite candy or drink. Also you could add a gift card to a favorite clothing store if its in the budget, or a small target or starbucks gift card.

As a teacher in a city school system where most kids are on assisted lunches, etc. , the rare gift is always cherished. If you want to give a gift or write a supportive note, it will always be cherished. Follow your heart and give with love, no guidelines are needed. If we donate your gifts it us probably going from our hands to those of a child in need.

I did a little basket for my parents and my in laws for valentine’s day. I used the normal red theme and got candy, a magnet notepad, a cute little strawberry plant starter kit (my mil loves to garden!), “lips” clips from target. Could also do nail polish with a nail file and nail polish remover. Comfy socks along with foot scrub and foot lotion.

I love doing gift baskets and was so glad to read about more ideas. One idea i would like to pass on is if you are on a limited budget you can use a box of any size ( customize size for items) don’t use a lid.Cover box in gift wrap paper or funny papers,sport pages for the men( or woman) even a kitchen towel, beach towel.spa towel ect. I could go forever.

I’m planning my soon to be 9 year olds “cupcake” bday party … thinking about sand buckets with some kind of a topper on them that looks like a cupcake …then filled with all the goodies. 😉 thanks for all the great ideas.

When a cousin graduated with a teacher’s degree, we gave her two gift baskets… One was teacher-themed with all kinds of supplies in a nice organizer that didn’t have a massive footprint. The other contained a nice copy of Oh, The Places You’ll Go by Dr. Seuss and since she is a chocolate lover, we assembled a large collection of various imported chocolate items (the ethnic food aisle at several supermarkets contained these) and added a nice aluminum water bottle and other “on the go items.”

My favorite gift basket I’ve made has been one for my son in his first apartment. His favorite is a handed down recipe for his Grandmother’s Mac and cheese. I got a recipe box with cards, wrote the recipe, and included the mixing bowl, silicon stirrer, grater, measuring cup, long pyrex bowl, medium pasta pot, Paprika, extra large elbow macaroni, cheese, canned milk, salt, and pepper. He made this for his buddies everytime they got together, so the gift was a great hit! Plus, he had a laundry wicker basket to use in his new home to boot! Hint: Tuesday Morning is the place I picked up good name brand cookware for this gift!

I made a basket for someone who had lost her husband. Its a lot like a spa basket, but added a little more comfort. I added a soft blanket, chocolates, insperational quotes and hot tea. She said it was the most thoughtful gift ever received.

Hi I was wondering if u can give me some ideas for back to school for teachers, secretary, administrator and principal since I didn’t get a chance to give them one for the end of the school yr I would like to give them each one for back to school. Thanks!!!

As a teacher, I wanted to point out that (unless the gift is Sunday school teacher) it is never appropriate to include bible verses on a gift/tag. Please be respectful that a teacher may not share your religious beliefs, and just leave the bible verses out of it.

Hello 🙂 I have a friend whose 21st birthday is coming up soon ! like in a week. I was hoping you could help me put together a “hangover recovery” basket for her. Im not sure what I would put in the basket or how I would go about making it. Please email me if you could helpp. thank you.

I am very interested in all your ideas, they will be great for future gifts. I am having trouble trying to put together a basket for a friend of mine who is a single mother, works so hard to provide, and still is having trouble making ends meet. She has 3 older boys that are still living with her. I want to make something special and something that would help her out. I would be grateful for any ideas you can give me. She’s not really into any spa items or anything like that. PLEASE HELP!!!

Hi Malinda,
That is so kind of you to try to minister to your friend in that way! I might think about the things she might like to do/use but that she does not treat herself too because she is trying to keep afloat–so items like a chocolate bar, favorite nail polish, or lip stick might be a hit. But something fun like Dove Dry Shampoo could be a great time-saver for her to try when she is getting ready, but not something she might buy on a tight budget. I would definitely include a gift card to WalMart, a grocery store, or a gas station for food or gas if her funds are tight and you are able. You could also make a little booklet that gives her “coupons” for free babysitting. I hope these ideas help!
blessings,
g i n a

A nice surprise for a working single mom, if you are able, is to surprise her at work and take her to lunch or if she doesn’t have time to go out, take her lunch and eat with her. Get her out of the work place for a few minutes. Or take her out to dinner. Sometimes you just need a change of “face and place” for a little while. I find computer printed coupons for help with errands, house cleaning, a free car wash, some things that you would like for someone to do for you is a hint a single mom would probably love.

Hello everyone! So glad I came across this, you all have some awesome ideas! I am hoping some of you can help me with an idea for a wonderful couple that are neighbors of mine only a couple blocks away.. I have lived here 5 years but only met them a couple days ago when I had an unfortunate accident and a tire blew turning a corner, and I ended up across the street from their house in another person’s yard with my 4 younger boys in the van with me. They came to our aid and stayed till we were able to leave in the ambulance. I found out about an hour later they were in the waiting room and even tho I let them know I appreciated them being there, everything would work out fine and they could go home.. They stayed and when they found out my husband was having a hard making it there to get me they offered to pick him up and bring him to the hospital. We ended up having no vehicle, now out of 4 carseats and our 3 yr needed to be transported to another hospital an hour and half away with a concussion. This wonderful couple pulled together some friends that had some carseats and gave us all a ride home. Knowing we had no way of getting to our little boy then offered to let us borrow their vehicle for tonight and drop it off in the morning. I am still absolutely amazed by these people that I had no clue lived down the street from me. The Gentleman is a minister and his wife is a teacher and they are very church going people. I feel very much like I want to send them something as more of a thankyou and would love to hear any ideas.
Sorry for the long post but I thought you all would need a bit of background. From what I heard the way the van looked, we were very lucky to have survived, so I really do believe they were a blessing from God and their prayers helped us all thru.
Blessings to all of you and your families!
Can’t wait to hear from you!
Jillian

My brother got married a few months ago. While looking for inspiration on their gift registry I noticed some copper Moscow mule mugs which led to, you guessed it, themed gift basket! I included a bottle of vodka, ginger beer, an awesome pottery barn horse ice bucket and shaker, drink stirrers, jiggers, limes, a laminated recipe card, and some other random related items. I saved on the basket itself by getting a huge wicker one from the thrift store and spray painting it a cool color. It was such a fun gift to put together and my brother loved it!